Criminal Justice : A Brief Introduction

Why Rent from Knetbooks?

Because Knetbooks knows college students. Our rental program is designed to save you time and money. Whether you need a textbook for a semester, quarter or even a summer session, we have an option for you. Simply select a rental period, enter your information and your book will be on its way!

Criminal Justice: A Brief Introduction uses real-life stories throughout that are designed to capture and sustain the attention of its readers, helping them achieve a meaningful and comprehensive understanding of its concepts. It explores how the criminal justice system balances individual rights (freedom) with the need for public order (safety). It explores the new environment of the ongoing threat of domestic terrorism; with its updated research and statistics, this edition isthe most timely and relevant resource available. Real-life examples of current issues and topics in the criminal justice system round out comprehensive coverage of criminology, multiculturalism, crime reporting, criminal law, policing, adjudication and the court system, and the corrections system. With its comprehensive appendices and online resource guide, this book is an excellent reference for those involved in the criminal justice system.

Preface

xvii

Companion Website

xix

Acknowledgments

xxi

About the Author

xxiii

part 1 CRIME IN AMERICA

1

(148)

CHAPTER 1: What Is Criminal Justice?

3

(34)

INTRODUCTION

3

(3)

CRIME IN THE LAST HALF CENTURY

6

(66)

THE THEME OF THIS BOOK

72

Social Justice

13

(2)

CJ NEWS "Big Brother" Cameras on Watch for Criminals

15

(2)

AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE: THE SYSTEM

17

(1)

The Consensus Model

17

(1)

The Conflict Model

17

(1)

AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE: THE PROCESS

18

(5)

Investigation and Arrest

18

(2)

Pretrial Activities

20

(1)

Adjudication

21

(1)

Sentencing

22

(1)

Corrections

22

(1)

DUE PROCESS AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

23

(2)

The Role of the Courts in Defining Rights

23

(1)

Crime Control through Due Process

24

(1)

FREEDOM OR SAFETY? You Decide

25

(1)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY

25

(3)

CJ CAREERS U.S. Federal Government 2002 General Schedule (GS) Pay

27

(1)

Research and Professionalism

27

(1)

MULTICULTURALISM AND DIVERSITY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

28

(1)

CJ FUTURES The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center

29

(2)

SUMMARY

31

(1)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

31

(1)

WEB QUEST!

32

(1)

LIBRARY EXTRAS!

33

(4)

CHAPTER 2: The Crime Picture

37

(60)

INTRODUCTION

37

(3)

Crime Data and Social Policy

39

(1)

The Collection of Crime Data

39

(1)

THE UNIFORM CRIME REBORTS

40

(12)

Development of the UCR Program

40

(1)

Historical Trends

41

(2)

UCR Terminology

43

(2)

Part 1 Offenses

45

(7)

MULTICULTURALISM AND DIVERSITY IN AMERICA

Race and the Criminal justice System

52

(4)

CJ EXHIBIT Identity Theft: A New Kind of Larceny

56

(6)

Part II Offenses

58

(1)

NIBRS: The New UCR

58

(4)

THE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMIZATION SURVEY

62

(5)

COMPARISONS OF THE UCR AND THE NCVS

67

(1)

Problems with the UCR and the NCVS

67

(1)

SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CRIME

68

(2)

Crime Against Women

69

(1)

MULTICULTURALISM AND DIVERSITY IN AMERICA

Gender Issues in Criminal Justice

70

(2)

Crime Against the Elderly

72

(1)

CJ EXHIBIT Offline versus Online Stalking: A Comparison

73

(7)

Hate Crime

74

(2)

Corporate and White-Collar Crime

76

(2)

Organized Crime

78

(1)

Gun Crime

79

(1)

CJ EXHIBIT Gun Control

80

(2)

Drug Crime

81

(1)

CJ CAREERS Agents Needed: Drug Enforcement Administration

82

(2)

High-Technology and Computer Crime

83

(1)

CJ NEWS Law Enforcers Report Spike in Cybercrime

84

(3)

Terrorism

86

(1)

CJ EXHIBIT What Is Terrorist Activity?

87

(1)

FREEDOM OR SAFETY? You Decide

88

(1)

SUMMARY

89

(1)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

90

(1)

WEB QUEST!

90

(1)

LIBRARY EXTRAS!

91

(6)

CHAPTER 3: Criminal Law

97

(52)

INTRODUCTION

97

(1)

THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF LAW

97

(2)

THE RULE OF LAW

99

(1)

TYPES OF LAW

100

(8)

Criminal Law

100

(1)

Civil Law

101

(5)

Administrative Law

106

(1)

Case Law

106

(1)

FREEDOM OR SAFETY? You Decide

107

(1)

Procedural Law

107

(1)

GENERAL CATEGORIES OF CRIME

108

(2)

Felonies

108

(1)

Misdemeanors

108

(1)

Offenses

109

(1)

Treason and Espionage

109

(1)

Inchoate Offenses

110

(1)

GENERAL FEATURES OF CRIME

110

(5)

The Criminal Act (Adus Reus)

110

(1)

A Guilty Mind (Mens Rea)

111

(2)

Concurrence

113

(1)

Other Features of Crime

113

(2)

ELEMENTS OF A SPECIFIC CRIMINAL OFFENSE

115

(3)

The Example of Murder

115

(2)

The Corpus Delicti of a Crime

117

(1)

TYPES OF DEFENSES TO A CRIMINAL CHARGE

118

(8)

Alibi

118

(1)

Justifications

118

(3)

Excuses

121

(5)

CJ CAREERS Career Opportunities: U.S. Secret Service

126

(14)

Procedural Defenses

130

(3)

Innovative Defenses

133

(7)

MULTICULTURALISM AND DIVERSITY IN AMERICA Legal Authority and the Criminal Law